My Life with the Walter Boys

by Ali Novak

  “Honestly, Parker, you have the best of both worlds,” I said, sitting up in bed. “You can enjoy doing boy things, like watching sports and playing video games. But you can also put on a dress and be a girl. That’s something that your brothers can’t do.”

  She was quiet for a long time. “I never thought about it that way.”

  “Being a girl doesn’t make you weak, Parker. It makes you special.”

  “I guess I can wear the dress, but just this once,” she said. “And you have to promise not to curl my hair.”

  “All right,” I told her. “It’s a deal.”

  ***

  Saturday morning did not go smoothly. Since life with the Walters was always unpredictable, I’d set my alarm an hour earlier than needed as I almost expected some kind of tiny disaster to occur. Of course, the extra hour wasn’t near enough time when something did happen. I was standing at the toaster waiting for my English muffin to pop when I heard a scream.

  “Katherine?” I asked, rushing into the dining room. “What is it?”

  “The cupcakes,” she said, clamping a hand to her mouth in horror. She was standing at the head of the dining-room table, and for a moment, I was afraid they were gone—how could the boys eat two hundred cupcakes?—but then, she stepped aside, revealing all of baked treats. “I forgot to frost them.”

  “Okay,” I said calmly. “I have some time. Where’s the frosting?”

  She disappeared back into the kitchen and I heard the fridge open. “…Just knew something like this would happen. Told George something wasn’t right before we went to bed, but did he listen?” A moment later she was back, carrying an armful of supplies. “So the frosting is already mixed,” Katherine told me, quick to use my help. “You just need to make sure half of the cupcakes are frosted teal and the other half yellow. I have a few icing tubes with different piping tips you can use. Once they’re all frosted, I also have sprinkles that go on top.”

  And just like that, I had a huge project on my hands. I thought it would be easy, but I’d never frosted two hundred cupcakes before. It took a lot longer than I thought. I was only about halfway done when I looked at the clock and panicked. I still needed to take a shower, get ready, and do Parker’s hair.

  “Crap, crap, crap!” I said, as the frosting in the tube I was squeezing ran out. Refilling the tubes was the messiest and most frustrating part of the job.

  “Jackie, are you okay?” someone asked.

  I glanced up to see Cole. His hair was damp from a shower, and he was already dressed in his suit. When he leaned against the table, I realized he was eating a cupcake.

  “Can you please not do that?” I snapped.

  “Do what?” he asked me through a mouthful.

  “Eat those! They’re for the wedding.” I yelled.

  “Sorry,” Cole said quietly after swallowing. He looked away from me, and I was flooded with guilt. I shouldn’t take my frustration out on him, because none of this was his fault.

  “Look, Cole, I didn’t mean to snap at you,” I said. “It’s just that I still have to get ready and help Parker, and this is taking forever.”

  “Do you need help?” he asked after a second, completely catching me off guard.

  “Thanks, Cole, but you’re already dressed. I wouldn’t want you to get your suit dirty.”

  “That’s no problem.” He started to shrug out of his jacket. When that was off, his fingers began working the buttons on his shirt, and I couldn’t help but stare. Soon he was down to his dress pants and undershirt. “Okay, boss,” he asked, setting his clothes aside where they wouldn’t get dirty. “What do you need me to do?”

  It took me a minute to regain my composure, but then I breathed a sigh of relief. “Here,” I said, handing him the empty icing tube. “If you could fill this with yellow frosting and start on that row over there, that would be amazing.”

  “Sure thing,” he said, taking the tube from me. “And by the way, you have frosting on your nose.”

  “Did I get it?” I asked, using the back of my hand.

  “Here,” Cole said, stepping forward. He brought his finger up to my face and rubbed it off. Then he stuck his finger in his mouth and sucked away the frosting. “Got it.”

  My cheeks went pink, and I turned back toward the table to hide my embarrassment. “Thanks,” I said, grabbing one of the sprinkle containers. “We should probably get to work.”

  “Of course.”

  I risked a quick glance in Cole’s direction. He was already spooning the yellow paste into the tube, his hands quick, but on his face was the classic Cole smirk. We both knew that he had gotten to me.

  ***

  “Are you kidding me?” I complained to Nathan when we reached our assigned table. My name card was right between two boys—Cole and Alex, to be exact.

  Will and Haley had already said “I do” in a ceremony by Katherine’s blooming garden, and cocktail hour had just ended. For dinner, there were two huge tents set up in the backyard, with enough room to seat all the wedding guests.

  “This is going to be an enjoyable evening,” Isaac said. Rolling his eyes, he pulled back his chair.

  I shot him a dirty look and turned to Danny. “Would you mind switching with Cole?” I asked.

  Danny quickly sat down. “I’m sorry, Jackie,” he said, looking regretful. “I can’t.”

  “Why not?” I asked, still hovering behind my spot. Was it really that hard to move one seat over?

  “Well, you see…” He trailed off, almost as if he felt uncomfortable finishing his sentence. Then Danny grabbed the water glass next to his plate and took a long sip so he didn’t have to answer me.

  “He doesn’t want to lose our bet,” Isaac said with a grin as he unfolded his napkin and set it on his lap.

  “You made a bet?” I asked, whipping around to glare at Danny. Isaac was addicted to gambling, but for the most part the boys knew not to indulge him. This was so unlike Danny that it made me furious.

  “I know I shouldn’t have,” Danny said, hanging his head. “But if I’m going to move to New York, I need some extra money.”

  Sighing, I yanked back my chair and took my place. “Why didn’t you say something?” I demanded. “You know I’d be more than happy to help you.”

  He shrugged. “I didn’t want to owe you anything.”

  “Apparently he’d rather owe me,” Isaac said. “I’m earning a hundred bucks on this.”

  “A hundred bucks?” I asked in shock. “What’s this stupid bet anyway?”

  “That Cole and Alex won’t be able to get through dinner without fighting over you,” Isaac explained.

  “And?” I asked, not knowing if I wanted to hear the rest.

  “I said they wouldn’t last five minutes,” Danny responded quietly.

  “Wonderful,” I said, sinking into my seat. “Just wonderful.”

  “At least they will both be happy,” Nathan said, trying to look on the bright side of things. “Well, for a little bit.”

  He was right. Cole and Alex would both be happy to find that they were sitting next to me. However, they would quickly get fed up with each other. The worst part was that I was going to be stuck in the middle.

  “Well, what about me?” I whined. Didn’t I deserve to be happy too?

  “What about you?” Alex asked, coming up behind me. Leaning down, he pecked me on the cheek.

  “Nothing,” I grumbled as he kissed me again.

  “Um, barf. Not at the dinner table, please,” Cole said, turning up next to Alex. He sat down and let out a large belch. “Man, I’m hungry.”

  “What a gentleman,” I said, shaking my head in disgust.

  “Oh, sorry. Didn’t know I was in the presence of any ladies,” Cole shot back.

  “Hey!” Alex said. “Don’t be mean to my girlfriend.”

 
“I was just joking. Chill. And do you have to keep calling her that, or are you afraid she might forget?”

  “Come on, guys,” I said, trying to stop the fight. But it didn’t matter; everyone knew it was going to happen. I could already see the anticipation on Isaac’s face, and Danny’s eyes were glued to his watch.

  “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Alex demanded as his face flushed red.

  “Nothing,” Cole drawled. “I’m just pointing out that Jackie is a person, not a thing,”

  “Boys!” I cried, looking back and forth between the two.

  Cole looked calm and under control, but beneath his smooth exterior, I could tell he was aggravated. Alex, on the other hand, looked like a volcano on the verge of activity. Unconsciously his fingers had wrapped around the fork resting on his napkin, and as he squeezed the thin strip of metal, the color drained from his knuckles. I kept an eye on the utensil in his hand, afraid of what might happen if he snapped.

  “Just shut up, Cole,” Alex hissed.

  “Shut up?” Cole snickered. “That’s a good one. I’ll have to remember it. I bet your girlfriend can’t wait for you to defend her in a fight.”

  “Guys, please stop,” I begged.

  I risked a quick glance at the head table. Mr. Walter had just stood up with champagne glass in hand. He was about to give a speech about the bride and groom, and all the horrible possibilities of what would occur if Cole and Alex didn’t cool down were running through my head. Worst case scenario: the boys get into a fistfight in the middle of their father’s speech and ruin Will and Haley’s wedding.

  “At least I have one,” Alex replied, looking smug.

  Cole narrowed his eyes at his brother, and I gave up. Alex had officially pushed Cole too far, and there was no stopping either of them now.

  “Is that a challenge?” he hissed.

  “Suck it!” Danny whispered to his cousin with a smile on his face. “That was exactly three minutes. I want my money in cash.”

  “Damn,” Isaac said, shaking his head and pulling out his wallet. “I’ve been on a losing streak lately.”

  Alex didn’t respond to Cole, except to flip him off.

  “Fine,” Cole said, smiling evilly. “But don’t blame me when your girl’s in my arms.”

  “Cole!” I shouted angrily before giving him a hefty kick in the shin from under the table, but he didn’t even seem to notice my attempt to bruise him. Instead, he and his brother continued their stare-down.

  “Well,” Nathan said, turning to Danny. “What a great way to start the reception.”

  “Yeah,” Isaac said with a smile. “We haven’t even gotten our salads yet.”

  ***

  As dinner progressed, Alex and Cole became increasingly annoying.

  “Jackie, would you like me to get you something from the bar?” Cole asked, turning to me.

  “What are you trying to do, get her drunk?” Alex said. Since his fight with Cole, there had been a frown permanently etched onto his forehead.

  “No, I was just trying to be nice,” Cole said, holding his hands up in defense.

  “Is that what happened last time you got her a drink?” he asked, referring to the time Cole and I skipped school.

  “Guys, cut it out,” I said for the millionth time. I put a hand on Alex’s leg to try and calm him down. “A glass of red wine would be great,” I told Cole. If the rest of the night was going to continue like this, I needed something to calm myself down.

  “Classy,” Isaac said, getting up to go with Cole. “I like it.”

  “Anything for you?” Cole asked Danny.

  “A beer is fine, thanks.”

  Alex grumbled to himself as his brother and cousin walked away, but I was beyond caring. As much as I was against drinking since my last experience, I really needed something to take the edge off my headache. When I was little, my mother would always let me take a sip of her wine at dinner, and surprisingly I found it was a bitter taste that I didn’t mind.

  Everyone waited for Cole and Isaac to return with the drinks, and we munched on our dessert in silence. The wedding cupcakes had turned out beautifully, thanks to Cole’s help, and Haley loved them.

  “Here you go, my lovely lady,” Cole said, setting my drink in front of me. Alex shot him a glare, but before he could say anything, Isaac set a drink down for him as well.

  “For me?” Alex asked in surprise. His cousin nodded. “Thanks, dude. What is it?”

  “Iced tea, with a little something extra,” Isaac answered. “Just be careful with those. They’ll creep up on you fast.”

  I watched Alex as he lifted the drink to his lips and took a swig. “This is great,” he said, perking up in his seat. “You can’t even taste the alcohol!”

  The drink seemed to make Alex less hostile toward Cole, so Isaac kept them coming. But Alex didn’t heed his warning and two hours later, he was in the bathroom puking his guts out. After bringing him another glass of water, I collapsed onto one of the kitchen chairs to wait for him to finish. When his stomach was empty, I was going to tuck him in bed so he could get some rest.

  Sitting down, I realized just how tired I was, and how much today had sucked. I had been looking forward to the wedding for so long, and although it turned out beautifully for Will and Haley, it hadn’t been fun for me. Between the cupcake crisis in the morning, the boys fighting through dinner, and Alex getting sick, the day was pretty much ruined.

  “And this will be our last song of the evening,” I heard the lead singer of the band announce.

  “Dang it,” I said, thinking I was alone. “I didn’t even get to dance to one song.”

  “We could fix that.” Cole pushed open the screen door and stepped inside. “Jackie, come dance with me,” he said, extending his hand to me.

  I looked at it reluctantly. Dancing with him would probably only cause more drama by the end of the night, but I had really been looking forward to the wedding reception. “You need a break,” he added.

  “I don’t know,” I said, wringing my hands. “I really should look after him,” I said, nodding my head in Alex’s direction.

  “He’s a big boy, and you’re not his mother,” Cole said, heaving me to my feet. “It’s just one dance. He won’t even notice you’re gone.”

  “I don’t—” I started to say, but Cole was already pulling me out the back door and I let him.

  He led me out onto the dance floor, where a slow song was starting to play. Couples stood all around us, swaying back and forth to the music. I didn’t know what to do—if I should actually dance with him—but Cole made the decision for me by wrapping his arms around my waist.

  “You know, you’re supposed to put your hands on my shoulders,” Cole pointed out. “Otherwise, this is going to get really awkward, really fast.”

  “I shouldn’t be doing this,” I said, but I hooked my hands around his neck anyway.

  “Probably not,” he said softly. “But you want to.”

  “Cole, don’t start this again,” I begged. His nearly white bangs were longer than when we first met—now they brushed at the top of his eyes, and his lips were partially open, begging to be kissed. He was perfectly beautiful and I had to glance away. I could feel the blood rushing through my veins.

  “Why not, Jackie? Was what I said wrong?”

  “Please,” I said, avoiding his question. “I just want one dance.”

  “And I just want one answer.”

  “Why does it even matter, Cole?” I asked, looking back up at him sharply.

  He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment in concentration. “Because,” he said, opening them again. They were a dazzling blue. “Loving you just crept up on me, and before I knew it, I was head over heels for you.”

  I stopped dancing. “Love?” I repeated in shock.

  “Tell me you feel the s
ame way, or that you feel something.” Here, his voice cracked, but he kept going. “I just—I need to know that I’m not alone.”

  “God, Cole, don’t put me in this situation. I can’t!”

  “The hell you can’t!” he exclaimed, ripping his arms away from me. “I’ve seen the way you look at me when you think I won’t notice. But the thing is, I’m always paying attention to you, Jackie. It’s like—you’re gravity and I’m just a little blip on your radar.”

  “A blip on my radar?” I asked. The idea was ridiculous. “Cole, you’re impossible to miss.”

  “So does that mean—”

  “No,” I said, stepping away from him. “I’m not saying it. I’m done with this. With us.”

  “Every time I try to work things out between us, you run away,” Cole said, grabbing my wrist and spinning me back around. “Why do you keep avoiding me?”

  “Because!” I finally shouted. “I like you, even though it doesn’t make sense, and I hate that I can’t control my feelings.” I wouldn’t let myself love Cole the way he said he loved me. If I did, our love might be ruined by the guilt I felt over my family.

  Cole dropped his hand in shock, but I was already turning on my heels. I needed to get away before he recovered from my confession. But when my gaze landed on the back porch, I realized that someone was watching us. Alex was standing on the steps, an unreadable expression on his face.

  “Are you happy now?” I asked Cole and shot him one last glare before pushing through the crowds.

  ***

  “Jackie, what are you doing up here?”

  I slowly pulled my head away from my knees and brushed away a tear. Danny’s head popped up through the trapdoor in the tree house.

  “Hiding from the world,” I grumbled. Danny smiled sadly and pulled himself up into my hiding place. “How’d you find me?”

  “No offense, Jackie, but I wouldn’t call it hiding. I could hear you crying from a mile away,” he told me.

  After my conversation with Cole, the one where I confessed my feelings for him and Alex heard, I had needed to get away from everyone. I wanted to go somewhere where nobody would look, and only Alex used the tree house anymore. He was the last person who would come looking for me.